Pippin

Pippin was rescued from an intensive duck farm in early January, 2018. He was found at 2am on the outside of the filthy sheds, running up and down trying to get back in. How and why he was left out is not something I know the answer to, but I do know that he was luckier than most of the ducks inside those sheds that night. My friend caught him and he was then destined for freedom.

When you think of ducks, you automatically think of water. There is a reason for that. Ducks and water go hand in hand. Ducks are an aquatic bird. Their need for water to swim in and bathe in  as it is essential for their health and happiness. Duck farming denies ducks of any pools of water to swim in or clean themselves in. Ducks are intensively farmed in sheds and are selectively bred to grow as fast as possible in the smallest amount of time possible. Sheds are not cleaned out until the ducks are sent to slaughter, which is nine weeks  from hatching to slaughter weight. Anyone who knows ducks is aware that their waste matter is much more than a chicken’s and the sheds fill up incredibly quickly with duck manure on the floor of the sheds. Ducks walk, live and sleep on manure caked floors that can be more than half a metre thick.

Pippin was rescued that night along with two other young ducks, Merry and Legolas. All three came home with me, but sweet Legolas didn’t make it and had to be put to sleep. Merry and Pippin became the best of friends – Pippin was the serious one of the pair and Merry was the larrikin. They had such a great time together, squabbling over food and showing each other how to get up and down ramps. They had a friendship no one could break.

Merry and Pippin grew and swam and grew and swam, until one night in June 2018. Tragically Merry and Pippin were taken from their coop by a trespasser who had something against me and killed both of them. Pippin was found dead and stabbed in my carport. Merry was found in pieces in the chicken run. I rescued them so I could save them from a horrific ending, but in the end, it happened anyway.

I buried them together, like they always had been in their short lives. Together forever.